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What happens when kids bring one pail to the beach?

 

Encouraging Creativity at the BeachDo you ever feel like you are bringing everything but the kitchen sink to the beach? From the towels, chairs, food and toys, it can be overwhelming packing up for the beach. Today I’m sharing a story about what happens when you let the kids use just one reusable yogurt container, with no guidance from mom and dad. It turned into a very cute and creative activity at the beach.

Meet Hermie, the little hermit crab the kids found while exploring the rocks at the beach.

Hermit Crab Beach Discovery

Hermie came back to our beach camp and then the kids went off to build Hermie his own home.

Building a sand castle together

The kids worked together to build Hermie a four room home, delightfully presented like a flower.

One little yogurt cup turned into quite a little project for these kids. It was a wonderful reminder that sometimes we need a little less to allow our children’s mind to tap into their imagination. They got no directions from us, just a lot of praise in the end on what a wonderful job they did building Hermie’s home. No one squabbled over the lack of toys, no one asked a grown up for help, and in the end, the kids were so excited to share what they built.

Proud kids of their beach house

It’s a great lesson as we think about the change of seasons in another month or two and we move indoors a little more. Where could we use “less” so that we allow our kids to reach into their imagination a little “more.”

Thank you to Stonyfield Yogurt for providing our family with complimentary yogurt through my involvement as a Clean Plate Club Ambassador. The kids love their Organic Vanilla yogurt for breakfast and I’m sure we can find even more creative uses for our yogurt cups this summer.

I am honored to be a member of the Stonyfield Clean Plate Club. I received product or coupons for writing this post, but all opinions are my own.

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Are You Making the Most of Your Library?

For some families, the library is a part of their weekly routine. For others, they are not sure where to begin. In our family, we are very lucky to have an active local library that is part of an even larger network.  April is “Earth Month” and supporting your local library is a great way to be green. Today I wanted to share some ways to utilize your library, beyond borrowing books.

Make the most of your library at RandomRecycling.com

I realize that not all libraries will have the same resources, but in many cases libraries are connected to other towns in order to broaden the assortment. Our library is part of the Minuteman Library network, which means if my local library doesn’t have something I want, I can request it from somewhere else. No shipping charges either which makes it a better deal than ordering a book from Amazon. The fun part of being part of a network is being able to get new releases faster when another local library invests in them first.

Here is my list of items that we often check out from the library, plus some helpful tips.

Books

The obvious choice at a library are books. It really is an endless supply of learning ahead of you when you think about all the different types of books available. But how to sort through it all? I keep a note in my iPhone of any book suggestion made by a friend, or a book I read about in a magazine. Then I go online and request the book from my library. I don’t have to spend time searching for a book, plus it can be sent over from another library if it’s available. When the book is ready, I get an email and then pick it up at the front desk.

Children’s Books

Over the past four years, we have some bedtime favorites that are always hard to return to the library. I started a little list and sometimes I will request them from the library as well. When I’m crunched for time, all my favorite story books are all pulled together in a pile at the check out desk. I can spend time at the library doing other things with the kids instead of hunting down books.

Borrow Library Cookbooks RandomRecycling.com

Cookbooks

My friend Christy gave me this tip a few years ago. I had never checked out a cookbook from the library but it’s so perfect. I request new releases and see if it’s something I want to add to my own cookbook library, or give as a gift. I currently have The Picky Palate on loan from the library this month. Christy’s rule is, “If you try to renew it three times, then it probably is worth buying a copy for yourself.”

Music

Want to hear the newest Coldplay CD? Not ready to download it from iTunes? Request it from the library. This is also great to do for kid-friendly music CD’s that you really don’t want to invest in. Pick up a few for your next road trip.

Audiobooks

Books on CD’s were my saving grace when I was driving 45 minutes to work everyday. I listened to The Hunger Games on CD and it was just amazing. I remember sitting in a parking lot, not wanting to go inside so I could listen a little longer to the story. Again, it’s a good idea to request what you need as they are often in high demand.

DVD’s

We usually just get the children’s DVD’s as a treat for the kids. My advice is to always get more than one since they are often “well-loved,” or scratched.

Puppets

We are at the saturation point with toys so I was excited when I learned about checking out puppets for the kids. Some comes with CD’s to listen to, others are purely for imagination.

Energy Meter

I borrowed this from our library and was able to see how much energy my electronic draw in a 24 hour period. It was an interesting experiment and I would never have bought a meter to check it out on my own.

Online downloads

Most libraries now offer electronic downloads to your Kindle or Nook to read.

Children’s Activities

We are so lucky to have a library that offers not just story hour, but drop-in craft sessions, Lego building, musical performances and puppet shows. If you are a SAHM, the library is your friend. These activities are nearly always free and it’s a great way to reach out and meet other moms in your area and stay social. I personally love the craft sessions so the kids can get a little messy and it’s not all over my own floors.

Museum passes

Call ahead and see if you can reserve passes to your local museums, aquariums, zoos and more.

Lecture series

Some are historical, some are about new technology. There could be a lecture for you.

 

 Your turn~ what’s the most unusual thing you have found at your local library? 

I’m sharing this at Green Sisterhood and Your Green Resource.

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Teaching Young Children to be Eco-Responsible

One question I get asked often is, “How did you learn how to be green?” For me, it’s an ongoing learning process. However, most of what I do was taught to me by my parents. If anyone could live off the land, it would be my Dad. He taught our family a lot about making the most of our resources, reducing our waste impact, and growing much of our own food in the summer months. One could also say he is really frugal, which spearheaded a lot of these routines. Totally true, but he taught me many valuable lessons about how be eco-responsible well before it became the trendy thing to do.

Teach Kids to be Green

I walked around the house the past few weeks looking at all the ways I encourage and teach my kids to be green. Some are simple words we use, others are the systems we have in place for our family. The list below is ways that work for our family, with children four and under. As they grow, I expect this list will change and hopefully expand as they take on more responsibilities.

Recycling Bin for Closet

  • Recycling station is accessible and easy to understand. The kids also learn what can and can’t be recycled. 
  • Compost is a part of their vocabulary; they know to save their banana peels and apple cores for the shiny bucket under the sink.
  • Walk to do errands instead of driving
  • Offer paper from the recycling bin for coloring. Explain the importance of using both sides of a paper.
  • Turning off lights when we leave the room.
  • Conserving water. We encourage this while brushing teeth, washing hands and while washing dishes.
  • Use a shower timer. Both kids love showers and they know that when the timer is up, it’s time to get out.
  • Not wasting food. Still tough for them to understand, I’m trying to be more mindful of reducing their portions and let them ask for seconds instead.
  • Spending time outdoors instead of in front of the TV
  • Explaining the idea of making donations when we have too much toy clutter.
  • Saving clothes that are too small for younger family members. (JJ thinks his girl cousin will wear all of his too-small clothes!)
  • Reusing the same glass throughout the day.
  • Teaching the kids how to cook and talk about where ingredients come from. We had a great conversation the other day when Madison asked if we could make maple syrup as our afternoon project.
  • Involve them in gardening if you have the space. Even if it’s just a pot of basil on the windowsill, let them help water and nurture the plant.
  • Reuse their artwork as wrapping paper or use what’s on hand, like newspaper.

Newspaper Wrapping Paper

What else do you practice in your home to educate kids to be green?

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Does This Look Like a Walking Billboard to You?

Relan Bag Giveaway at Random Recycling blog

Sustainable fashions have come a long way.  Eco-friendly clothing and accessories are on trend, colorful, and easier to find through the help of the Internet. I use to think of “green fashion” as an oxymoron. Everything always seemed so bland and itchy. There were more items to say no to than YES! As a former retail buyer, I love finding new fashion lines that do something to reduce waste and create something people actually want to buy. Relan Bag is one such company that I happen to spot at Whole Foods one day.

Imagine all those billboards used to promote the latest theater showings in Times Square. They often end up in a landfill somewhere once the run is over. Relan is able to come in and repurpose the vinyl into handbags, totes and accessories. The product is cute, but also helps eliminate a giant waste stream.

Relan Bag Tony Tote using repurposed billboard vinyl

I have the Tony Tote and one of the things that jumped out to me was the material used for the bottom of the bag. Since I have little ones, I often have to put my bag on the ground when we are getting in and out of the car. The material is super durable…turns out they use recycled rubber tires. My tote may become one of our beach totes this summer since it can hold up when we sit in the “wet sand” area. If only that would save me from the spilled sippy cups inside…

I think you all would love to see what Relan Bags can create. For the giveaway, I want you to check out their store and let me know which item is your favorite. When you want to make a purchase, you can work with the Relan team to suggest a color family for your item. The final item does depend on material availability, but it’s pretty cool to say you have a one of a kind tote.

The winner will get the entire package in the photo above: the Dandy Tote, Makeup Bag, and Makeup Brush Bag. Enter the giveaway through the Rafflecopter below. Contest ends on February 9th at midnight. Winner will be notified via email and have 48 hours to respond. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was provided a sample tote from Relan Bag to help facilitate this review. This in no way influenced my opinions shared here.

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